One person was reportedly killed while 15 others sustained gunshot and machete injuries during a clash between All Progressive Congress (APC) supporters and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Governor Bala Mohammed’s hometown, Duguri in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
It was gathered that the gubernatorial campaign of Sadique Baba Abubakar, APC candidate was disrupted yesterday. This is despite a peace pact signed by gubernatorial candidates at the Bauchi Police Headquarters.
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WikkiTimes had earlier reported in January that the campaign team of the APC candidate was attacked in Akuyam, Misau local council, the hometown of the Bauchi State PDP Chairman.
BLAME GAME
Farouk Mustapha, the Director-General of the PDP campaign council, in a press conference in the Government House, on Wednesday, blamed APC and its candidate for the attack.
Mustapha alleged that Sadique led thugs to unleash terror on the governor’s kinsmen and also destroyed billboards of the PDP.
“Today (Wednesday) is one of the saddest days in the political history of Bauchi State. All governorship candidates of various political parties in the state were at the State Police Headquarters with all the security agencies to sign a peace accord as has been the practice in every election season.
“However, the candidate of the APC was conspicuously absent with only his deputy in attendance, showing no respect for the peace and harmony to reign in Bauchi State. “To our dismay, while the candidates were signing the peace accord, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, took a campaign tour to Duguri town, the hometown of His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, who doubles as the sitting governor as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming election.
“His gang leaders who led today’s thuggery unleashed terror, and intimidation on the people of Duguri town. They were chanting abuses and breaking all PDP billboards carrying His Excellency’s pictures, buses and even Keke NAPEP and the office of the PDP were all burnt down.
“This barbaric act was resisted by the people of Duguri which led to the thugs and even the armed security men to open fire on the unarmed and innocent people of Duguri. They left several people injured and killed one Mallam Mai Ungwan Shata through a gunshot and also macheted others, about 15 of them, who sustained different degrees of injuries. They are at the Teaching Hospital here in Bauchi right now,” Mustapha said.
Reacting, Salisu Barau, Director of Media and Publicity for APC campaign council, in a press statement, accused PDP of hiring thugs who opened fire on the campaign team of the APC governorship candidate.
“Suspected hired thugs, using dane guns, opened fire on the convoy of the Bauchi State governorship candidate of APC, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, in Duguri, the birthplace of the incumbent Bauchi state, Sen. Bala Mohammed,” he said, adding sounds of sporadic shootings were heard around the campaign premises, which made the security operatives at the venue rush to the scene to demilitarise the thugs and retrieve the guns from them.
He said three people were shot, including an officer from Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the aspirant and two other local vigilance group members.
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“The NSCDC operatives succeeded in recovering two dane guns from the thugs while others escaped with their own guns,” Barau disclosed.
Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, spokesperson for Bauchi Police Command confirmed the incident, claiming there was no record of any death. He stated that 14 people sustained various degrees of injuries.
“Today, APC governorship candidate went out on a rally at about 17.4500hrs, while in Duguri Village, under Yuli-Yin Ward, Alkaleri Local Government Area, violence ensued during the rally in which 14 people were injured. Among the 14 wounded, six were taken to Primary Health Center in Duguri, where they were treated and discharged,” Wakil stated.
He added that among the eight that were treated and discharged, were six residents of Duguri Village who were taken to the Health Center in the area.
He added: “Eight others were seriously injured, they were referred to the General Hospital, Alkaleri. Because of the severity of the injuries, the doctor could only attend to one Mohammed Abdullahi, who is also a resident of that Duguri. The remaining seven were transferred from the General Hospital Alkaleri to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi for medical treatment.
“Among those attacked were part of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel attached to His Excellency’s entourage. But their details were not yet made available to us. Furthermore, two Sharon Galaxy buses were damaged.”
